How to connect Xiaomi Mi Band 4 to Huawei phone: full instructions with error solutions

Fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band 4 While Huawei remains one of the most popular gadgets for tracking activity, despite the release of new models, owners of Huawei phones often face problems when trying to connect the device, from a lack of response to Bluetooth to errors in the Mi Fit app. The reason lies in the features of the firmware EMUI/HarmonyOS, which limit the background performance of third-party applications and power consumption of Bluetooth.

In this article, you will find 3 proven synchronization methods (including bypassing Huawei restrictions), a software versioning table, and solutions for errors like “Device failed to find” or “Connection interrupted.” EMUI 13+, This is a device that blocks connections to wearable devices without notifying the user. P30 Pro to Mate 60) and firmware versions 2020-2026.

Why Huawei is blocking Mi Band 4 connectivity: technical reasons

Huawei is actively optimizing the power consumption of its smartphones, which sometimes leads to conflicts with devices of other brands.

• 🔋 Aggressive battery optimization: EMUI Automatically suspends Mi Fit background processes unless the application is added to the Protected list».
• 📡 Bluetooth Limitations LE: In HarmonyOS 3.0+ Bluetooth 4.2 protocol that uses Mi Band 4 is disabled by default.
• 🛡️ Security Policy: Huawei blocks connection of devices without Huawei HiLink certification (which includes Xiaomi).
• 🔄 Version Conflict: Mi Fit version 4.6+ It may not work properly with EMUI 10 and below.

Interestingly, similar problems arise when connecting other brands (such as Amazfit or Honor Band), but the Mi Band 4 is particularly vulnerable due to the use of the outdated BLE 4.0 authentication protocol, which Huawei considers unsafe.

⚠️ Note: If your Huawei is running on HarmonyOS 4.0+, Before connecting, be sure to turn off the Smart Power Distribution function in the battery settings. Otherwise, the bracelet will turn off every 10-15 minutes.

Method 1: Standard Mi Fit connection (for EMUI 9-12)

This method works on most Huawei, Released devices until 2022, and follow the instructions carefully, skipping at least one step will lead to sync error.

1. Install the latest Mi Fit: Download the APK from Xiaomi's official website (the AppGallery version may be outdated).
2. Activate Bluetooth and geolocation: Go to Settings → Wireless Networks → Bluetooth and turn it on. Geolocation (Settings → Privacy → Permissions → Geodata) must be enabled for the Mi Fit app.
3. Add Mi Fit to secure applications: Open Settings → Applications → Mi Fit → Battery → Secure applications and enable the option. This will prevent the program from automatically closing.
4. Start the connection process: In the Mi Fit app, click Profile → Add Device → Bracelet → Mi Smart Band 4. Wait for the bracelet name to appear in the list and confirm the connection.

Install Mi Fit 5.2.0+|Enable Bluetooth and geolocation|Add Mi Fit to Protected Applications|Charge the bracelet to 50%+|Reboot your phone before connecting-->

If the bracelet doesn’t appear in the list of devices, try an alternative method:

1. Close Mi Fit through the latest app menu.
2. Turn on the search mode on the bracelet: press the touch button for 5 seconds until the Bluetooth icon appears.
3. Open Mi Fit again and repeat the search.

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If the bracelet is permanently disabled after connecting, check the Adaptive Battery settings in EMUI. Turn off this feature for Mi Fit in Settings → Applications → Special Permissions → Adaptive Battery.

Method 2: Connect via Notify & Fitness (for HarmonyOS 3.0-4.0)

If the standard method didn't work, use the third-party Notify & Fitness for Mi Band app, which bypasses Huawei's restrictions by using an alternative communication protocol.

• ✅ It runs on HarmonyOS 4.0 (where Mi Fit refuses to run).
• ✅ Supports notifications from all apps (including WhatsApp, Telegram).
• ✅ Allows you to adjust the vibration and screen bracelet more flexible than in the official application.

Instructions for setting:

1. Download Notify & Fitness from Google Play (or APK from APKPure if you don’t have Google services).
2. Turn on the bracelet pairing mode (press the button for 5 seconds).
3. In the application, select "Add device» → «Mi Band 4».
4. Confirm the code on the bracelet (it will appear on the phone screen).
5. In the application settings, activate options: Settings → Notifications → Enable all Settings → Connect → Use an alternative protocol

⚠️ Note: When you first connect through Notify & Fitness, the bracelet may show a “failed to update the firmware” error. Ignore it – this is a false positive due to the difference in the protocols of Xiaomi and Huawei.

Method 3: Manually connect via Bluetooth settings (for power users)

This method is suitable if the bracelet is determined by the phone but not connected via apps.It requires access to hidden Huawei settings.

Sequence of action:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → Build Number and tap it 7 times. Enter your password if needed.
2. Turn on Bluetooth debugging: Return to Settings → System → Developer settings and activate options: Debugging over Bluetooth Do not turn off Bluetooth when sleeping

Open the Settings. → Bluetooth, find Mi Band 4 on the list and tap it. PIN-Enter 0000 or 1234.

Run the app and wait for the bracelet to be automatically detected. If that doesn't happen, restart the phone.

EMUI 9-10|EMUI 11-12|HarmonyOS 2.0|HarmonyOS 3.0+|I don't know-->

Solving common connection errors

Even after successful pairing, users encounter errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

Error: “I couldn’t find the device”

Reason: Conflict with Bluetooth cache or outdated bracelet firmware.

Decision:

1. Clear the Bluetooth cache: Settings → Apps → Bluetooth → Storage → Clear the cache.
2. Update the bracelet firmware via Mi Fit (if available).
3. Reset your phone and bracelet (press the button on your bracelet for 10 seconds).

Error: “I failed to update the firmware”

Reason: Xiaomi servers block updates for devices with unofficial firmware (including some versions of HarmonyOS).

Decision:

1. Use a VPN with Singapore or India when upgrading.
2. Turn off “Auto-Update firmware” in the bracelet settings.
3. If the bracelet stopped working after the upgrade, reset (see spoiler above).

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If neither of these methods worked, try connecting the bracelet to another phone (like Android 10–11), update your firmware, and then go back to Huawei.

How to check the stability of the connection after connecting

To make sure that the bracelet is working correctly, follow the following steps:

1. Notification test: Send yourself a message to Telegram or SMS. The bracelet should vibrate and show text (if the feature is enabled in the app settings).
2. Check data synchronization: Take 20-30 steps and check if the data has been updated in Mi Fit (Activity section).
3. An alarm clock test: Set the alarm on the bracelet through the app. If it doesn't work, check the permissions for Mi Fit in your phone settings.
4. Battery monitoring: Charge the bracelet to 100% and watch the discharge throughout the day. Normal consumption is 5-10% in 24 hours. If the discharge goes faster, turn off unnecessary notifications.

If at least one of the tests fails, go back to the “Error Solving” section or try an alternative app.

Alternative apps for Mi Band 4 on Huawei

If Mi Fit and Notify & Fitness are not suitable, consider these options:

Before installing third-party applications, back up your data to Mi Fit (if it has ever connected). To do this, go to Profile → Settings → Backup.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Mi Band 4 Huawei